UK Work Visas
The UK welcomes skilled migrants from overseas and living and working in the UK can be achieved through a variety of immigration services and visas. The UK offers a points based skilled migration service in the HSMP, which assesses a candidate on several key factors and also provides work permits for those coming to live and work in the UK with a pre-arranged offer of employment.
As specialist UK immigration consultants, Global Visas assist individuals in relocating to the UK and provide corporate visa solutions allowing business to quickly and easily employ or transfer the personnel they need. To find out more about UK work visas contact Global visas, or to set your UK visa application in motion today visit the online assessment area now.
Skilled Immigration to the UK
The UK currently offers the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, a points based route to permanent immigration in the UK, which assesses a candidate’s age, qualifications, experiences and previous earnings. The Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, or HSMP, offers Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK (ILR) and a successful applicant may take up any position with any employer they choose, unlike a UK work permit which requires candidates to have a pre-arranged job offer from a sponsoring employer.
As a points based immigration visa, the HSMP requires candidates to reach a minimum of 75 points based on the various assessment criteria. In addition, the HSMP requires candidates to have well developed English language skills and applicants must be able to support themselves and any dependents in the UK without public funds. The HSMP is a route to permanent UK residency and may ultimately lead to a grant of UK citizenship. As such, the HSMP focuses not just upon the skills and experience of the candidate but also upon their intention and ability to make the UK their permanent home.
UK Work Permits
The UK work permit is a common route to working in the United Kingdom, however, unlike the HSMP, work permits are not expressly intended as a route to permanent UK immigration, nor do they grant the right to seek and undertake work with any employer apart from the candidate’s sponsoring company. Work permits are intended as a means to allow UK companies to source employees from overseas to work in positions which they have been unable to fill from the domestic labour market.
Unlike the HSMP, work permit applications are based upon a definite offer of employment from a UK company and the work permit application is submitted by this sponsoring company on the candidate’s behalf. If an application is successful, the candidate will be granted a UK work permit entitling them to work for the sponsoring employer in the job opening described. Work permits will be issued on the basis of the proposed length of employment and may be granted for anything from one day through to a maximum of five years. However, although a work permit is not directly issued as a route to immigrating to the UK on a permanent basis, a work permit holder who has been employed in the UK for five years may apply for permanent residency.
Applying for a UK work permit – Eligibility Requirements
Applying for a UK work permit requires candidates to have a confirmed offer of employment from a UK company. Beyond this, the candidate must have either a degree level qualification, a relevant HND or a non-relevant HND plus 12 months or more of relevant work experience. In some cases, candidates without an HND or degree may make a successful application based on three years of directly relevant experience.
Work Permits also place responsibilities upon the employer who must be able to show that the position in question has been advertised in the home market, but that no successful candidate has been found. Generally, this means advertising the position for a minimum of 28 days although this may not be necessary if the occupation in question is deemed to be in shortage.
Intra Company Transfer – Applying for an ICT Visa
The UK Intra Company Transfer Visa (ICT) is a specific class of work permit which is designed for UK business bringing employees from a foreign subsidiary or branch to the UK in order to fulfil a particular role or to undertake a specific project. The ICT is issued for a maximum of five years although unlike a regular work permit it will not lead to the opportunity to apply for permanent residency in the UK. ICTs do not require the position in question to be advertised before the candidate is hired however, companies may only transfer employees who have worked for the company for six months or more and who have a detailed knowledge of the company’s products and procedures.
Family Immigration
As a direct route to ILR, the spouse or partner and/or dependents of a successful HSMP applicant will be permitted to join the main applicant in the UK on a permanent basis. Where an applicant is in the UK on a work permit, his or her dependents will be permitted to reside in the UK for the same amount of time granted to the main applicant.
Other routes to working in the UK
Tier 5 - Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS)
The Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme is available to people between the ages of 18 and 30 and allows candidates to work in Britain for up to one year of the two-year grant. The working holiday visa is not a work visa as such and although employment is permitted it should not constitute the main reason for the visiting the UK. As such, candidates are limited to 12 months of employment and will not be able to extend their visa.
Visit the online assessment area today to begin your UK working visa application. Just take a moment to complete one of our online forms and a friendly UK immigration consultant will contact you.
